The Ferrari Testarossa has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1987–1991. On average a defect was admitted 8.22 years after the car was built, the slowest took 16 years. The most recalled system is Seat Belts (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 5 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Ferrari Testarossa
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Seat Belts 2 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the passive restraint system may not function correctly. Inconsistent electrical operation of the automatic track assembly has been experienced
Risk. If the passive restraint system experiences an electrical or mechanical failure, the seat occupant would not be fully protected
Fix. Dealers will replace all the main components of the passive seat belt system. This includes the electronic control units, the retractor mechanism, and both the right and left motor driven track assemblies. Owner notification began april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the passive restraint system may not function correctly. Inconsistent electrical operation of the automatic track assembly has been experienced
Risk. If the passive restraint system experiences an electrical or mechanical failure, the seat occupant would not be fully protected
Fix. Dealers will replace all the main components of the passive seat belt system. This includes the electronic control units, the retractor mechanism, and both the right and left motor driven track assemblies. Owner notification began april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the passive restraint system may not function correctly. Inconsistent electrical operation of the automatic track assembly has been experienced
Risk. If the passive restraint system experiences an electrical or mechanical failure, the seat occupant would not be fully protected
Fix. Dealers will replace all the main components of the passive seat belt system. This includes the electronic control units, the retractor mechanism, and both the right and left motor driven track assemblies. Owner notification began april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
Steering 1 Read
What's wrong. The upper steering column locknut was manufactured with inferior materials and inferior self-locking properties
Risk. The locknut can loosen, causing excessive play in thesteering system and impaired handling. This could result in loss of vehiclecontrol and an accident
Fix. Replace locknut with an improved locknut
What's wrong. The upper steering column locknut was manufactured with inferior materials and inferior self-locking properties
Risk. The locknut can loosen, causing excessive play in thesteering system and impaired handling. This could result in loss of vehiclecontrol and an accident
Fix. Replace locknut with an improved locknut
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 8.22 years |
| Slowest campaign | 16 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 55.6% |
| Campaigns on record | 3 |
Which Testarossa years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Seat Belts | |
| 1990 | Seat Belts | |
| 1989 | Seat Belts | |
| 1988 | Seat Belts | |
| 1987 | Seat Belts |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Ferrari Testarossa have?
3 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1987–1991. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Testarossa still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 8.22 years, and the slowest campaign came 16 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.